Agent's response time -- what's reasonable?

[jerewrites]

Earier this year I completed my first novel, a literary/historical piece, 83,000 words. I found listings for literary agents: AAR, Jeff Hermann, etc., and found those interested in my genre. I sent out waves of query letters. A month ago, a New York agent who appears quite successful sent me an e-mail, asking me to send my full manuscript "as soon as possible." I did so. It's been a month, and no response. What's reasonable to expect? In my cover letter to the agent, I told her I would not submit my book to any other agent 'til I heard back from her.

I'm new to this forum, and I've got to say it's wonderful. Uncle Jim's obviously a master of the craft, and he speaks in a practical, no-nonsense sort of way that I can understand.

Also, I recently read The Lie That Tells A Truth, by John Dufresne, who teaches cretaive writing at Florida International University. It's by far the best book I've found on writing fiction. My copy is already dog-eared and highlighted to the max.

[Julie Worth]

It's amazing how long these things can take. I have several manuscripts with agents on my previous novel (no one asked for an exclusive). So they're out there, and now I've finished another novel. It seems I'm writing books faster than agents can read them.

So how long?

In my experience, if it’s less than a week, the agent will be asking for money.

Less than one month, rarely.

Less than two months would be fast.

Three months might be average.

More than six months...it happens.

Of course, this is with no exclusive, but it seems to me that an agent wouldn't read an exculsive first. After all, it's not like anyone else is reading it!

[Honey Nut Loop]

he he. I can't help you but just thought i'd say i'm in the same boat and want to know how long!?! as well. It's been a month but i haven't given her an exclusive.

[katdad]

If a regular non-fee charging NYC agent (whom you say is reputable) asks for the complete manuscript, then you've overcome one of those essential barriers that new writers face.

I'd say 2-3 months is about average if the agent is evaluating the complete book. And don't be discouraged. If the book were total junk, the agent would have returned it to you by now. The fact that some time has passed means that the agent is actually READING the book.

If 3 months pass and you haven't heard, then a gentle, non-pushy email would be okay, like: "You requested my manuscript on May 1 and I sent it to you a few days later. If possible, I'd like an update on the evaluation process. Thank you."

Incidentally, you did GOOD telling the agent you'd not refer your novel to anyone else. This is a common courtesy that I highly recommend. Sending out multiple queries is okay, sending multiple chapter samples is okay (even if some agents say it's verboten), but if an agent requests the entire book, then you should remove it from other consideration, as a mattery of courtesy.

[Christine N.]

See, I have a bit of a problem with that. I have two agents right now reading partials. I'm coming into that critical time when they are reaching their usual response time. In the next two week, let's say. If they go over, I think that's par for the course.

Anyway, both know it's a sim sub, they have no problems. Each thanked me for the heads up, and said to keep them updated and give them adequate time for a response.

If one comes back and wants the whole manuscript to read, I'm certainly not going to pull the submission from the other, unless they request an exclusive. I know it's going to take them at least three months to read it and get back to me. If they ultimately reject it, I'm back to square one. I'd much rather have to write the e-mail that says "Hey, agent #1 has offered representation, have you read the ms yet?" Well, not like that, in a business way, of course.

If they request an exclusive and the other agent would also like the manuscript, I would just tell agent #2 that I will get it to them as soon as it becomes available again. I know they understand that sort of thing.

[Julie Worth]

Incidentally, you did GOOD telling the agent you'd not refer your novel to anyone else. This is a common courtesy that I highly recommend. Sending out multiple queries is okay, sending multiple chapter samples is okay (even if some agents say it's verboten), but if an agent requests the entire book, then you should remove it from other consideration, as a mattery of courtesy.

It doesn’t take three months to read a manuscript. It’s the slushpile that takes all that time, so not hearing from an agent for months and months generally means nothing. He could pick it up after a year and reject it after fifty pages an hour later. In a bigger agency, it may go through a gauntlet, where it’s read by two or more people. So there, taking longer does indicate interest. But giving an exclusive when it isn’t asked for, just so it can molder on the bottom of a slushpile isn’t courtesy, it’s insanity.

[Jamesaritchie]

I'm not sure there is an average. I landed my first agent in under two weeks, and when changing agents, it's taken less time than this. But there are just too many factors involed to say how long it can take.

Sometimes writers seem to get the idea that they're the only writer an agent has to deal with, or have the mistaken notion that reading manuscripts is the biggest thing an agent does. An agent may have hundreds of queries, partials, or manuscripts ahead of yours, and may have only four hours every Friday to read them. The better the agent, the more likely it is that most of her time is spent dealing with publishers, dealing with writers who are already published, pouring over contracts, traveling, etc.

When an agent you don't personally know responds very quickly, it can mean that agent isn't busy enough, or simply that you got really lucky and whatever you sent her hit her desk at exactly the right time. Fast isn't automatically good, and slow isn't automatically bad. It just depends on the agent. Getting a "yes" can take two weeks or six months, and neither response time is out of line.

Patience really is a virtue, and if the agent holding your material is the best one for the job, your time is best spent writing the next novel, rather than worrying about how long she takes to respond.

[Nateskate]

Akkkk!:Shrug: